Post 224: Chorizo and Butternut Squash Risotto mkII

I'd generally taken a decision to not re-blog recipes I've already bloggered before. Looking through my old posts there's far too many roast chicken dinners. All of which I certainly enjoyed; but look remarkably similar.

Some time back I first attempted a Roasted and Butternut Squash Risotto and I declared it a success. I felt though that it could be made simpler and improved further. Much of this is very similar to last time around, but just a few tweaks - I think this represents and improvement but a mk III may be required for a final perfected recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 medium red onions
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 2 chillies (tiny, but firey ones)
• 1 chorizo ring
• 350gs Arborio rice
• 2 pints of (chicken) stock
• 250 mls white wine
• 100gs Gruyere (yes, I know this should be parmesan, but I was improvising)

Method - it's all really easy, you just need to do a lot of stirring.

• Cut the butternut squash in to chunks ~6, drizzle with olive oil and place in the oven at 180c (this wants about an hour, so I recommend a Gin and Tonic at this stage while you give this a little start)
• Make two pints of chicken stock and put on a lowish heat so it's almost boiling
• Get your biggest pan/metal casserole dish and get put this on a likewise fairly low heat. Finely chop the onions, and fry in a good glug of olive oil until they start to soften
• Add in the garlic and chilli. Stir some more. Because everything else is going to cook in here, it's not good allow anything to burn or stick to the bottom at any stage
• Peel the fine outer skin off the chorizo, and chop into bite sized pieces
• *** Change coming here for mk III

• Throw in to the pot the Chorizo and Rice and give them a good stir. Always with the stirring in this one. Follow this immediately with the wine. The spices from the Chorzio, will start to go through the rice from the off:
• The heat should be so that if it's left any liquid goes to a slow bubble. As soon as the wine has gone, start adding the stock a ladle at a time
• It now gets a bit repetitive. Stir -> bubble off stock -> add more stock -> stir some more

• Once the Butternut squash in the oven has gone soft, take it out of the oven and scrape the flesh from the skin, and keep to one side - they should look a little like:
• After 15 - 20 minutes of stirring and stock adding the rice will be cooked; once it's cooked stir through the Butternet Squash and follow along with the cheese.
• Serve

• Do not eat so much of it you feel sick*

* As I write this, the next morning, I still feeling pogged. Oh it was lovely; but eyes much bigger than belly. And that takes some doing!

*** Improvement for Mk III - next time round I'll fry off the chorzio before adding the rice. It just looks nicer with a little colour on, and seems to go softer. Instead of bite sized pieces, I'll also cut the Chorizo really small; cutting it in half lengthwise and then 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices - which would mean each forkful will get a little.

*** Improvement 2 for Mk III - remember to buy parmesan on the way home.